Page 43 of Godless Saints

My thumb locked the screen so fast. Vivienne’s gaze dropped to my hand. Sawyer leaned forward.

“Subtle,” Vivienne said.

“It was nothing.”

Sawyer’s smile sharpened. “Ashbourne?”

“No.”

“He texted you?”

“No.”

Vivienne looked at me. I kept my eyes on the Patronage dockets.

Sawyer’s fingers tapped the armrest once. Twice. “He has your number.”

I said nothing.

“You answered him?”

My pen cracked. Plastic split. Ink bled across my thumb. Vivienne slid a napkin across the table without comment. I wiped the ink away. Sawyer’s smile widened. He leaned in, elbows on the table.

“Hyung.” He tipped his head. “You don’t want that Thorn dog thinking he has special access. Ashbourne trash belongs in the gutter where it was born.”

I met his eyes.

“Stop.”

Sawyer reached for the phone. My hand shot out and closed around his wrist, hard. I slammed his hand back down onto the table with a dull thud.

“No.”

Sawyer’s eyes lit up. Vivienne’s spoon stopped mid-stir. I released his wrist slowly.

“You don’t get to talk about him.”

Sawyer settled back, rubbing his wrist, smile turning vicious. “This is why I deserve the Patronage Seat, not you. One text from that Irish tramp and you’re already leaking. Sad.”

I swallowed the first answer.

“Excuse me?”

Sawyer’s eyes gleamed. “You’re too busy daydreaming about Ashbourne’s cock to lead. I don’t get hard for gutter trash.”

I leaned forward, voice tighter than I wanted.

“I’m not helping you with Korolev. Let him give you consequences. God knows you need them. You survive because someone always steps in before the consequences do. Harvard taught me that. So did every professor I had to beg for mercy on your behalf.”

They both went still.

“Hyun.” Vivienne set her teacup down with a soft click. Sawyer rolled his eyes, trying to look unbothered. The twitch in his smirk gave him away.

I sat back.

Vivienne moved first, sliding into the seat beside me. Her hand settled on the back of my neck, fingers warm. Sawyer dropped onto the table directly in front of my knees.

“What’s going on lately with you?” Vivienne said. “Why are you this defensive the moment Ashbourne’s name comes up? You supposedly met him days ago, yet you’re ready to tear Sawyer apart over him. So tell us, Hyun. What exactly happened between you and him?”